Student Contractor: USGS
Denver Federal Center
Dec 2019-2021
Introduction
I began working with the USGS right after I graduated college. For the most part, my work took place in the Hydrography Partner Support Team as a tool tester. This team is unique because we are the "middle man" between external/internal partners and internal developers. Due to this, I learned a wide range of information from how tools are created to how external partners execute the tools. My job focused specifically on hydrography tools. The USGS partners with Esri to create tools in Arc GIS that are used to edit and maintain hydrgraphy data. Along with testing tools, I also helped produce technical writing for user guides. The writing I produced and the tools I tested are explained in greater detail in the following sections. Within this website, I have organized my accomplishments from working with the USGS. I begin with explaining the type of data I work with. Next, I will discuss the main function of my job which is to test hydrography tools. Lastly, I will end with projects I have completed.
Data
National Hydrogray Dataset (NHD)
The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is the main dataset I work with . I obtained 10 hours of training for this data set. The data contains the water drainage network of the United States with features such as rivers, streams, canals, lakes, ponds, coastline, dams, and streamgages. The data also includes multiple feature datasets, feature classes, event feature classes, attribute tables, relationship classes, domains, and feature-level metadata. This data is maintained and updated by internal editors and external stewards.
The Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD)
The Watershed Boundary dataset contains hydrological units(HUs) across the United States. A hydrologic unit defines the areal extent of surface water drainage to an outlet point. The data is solely based on physical features and is not impacted by political agenda. The data is organized in hierarchical codes based off size. The hierarchy starts at HU code 2, which is the largest a HU can get. The HUs are further broken up into seven levels, each HU getting smaller as the digital code increases. In total there are HU2, HU4, HU6, HU8, HU10, HU12, HU14, and HU16.
The Hydrography Maintenance Portal (HMP)
This resource has two components: the production website and the training website. The websites are meant for the distribution of hydrographic data to our partners for editing. Both WBD and NHD data can be retrieved here. The map is organized by HU and users can check out data based on HU 8. When the data is checked out and being edited, it is called a job. Jobs can be identified by the job numbers which is unique to each job. The job number is particularly important for my work because I use job numbers to retrieve data to test tools. The following details the difference between the two HMP sites:
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The Production Website is the primary location for:
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Stewards and their approved sub-stewards to request NHD Jobs (versioned datasets) from the hydrographic distribution data for editing
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Gaining access to the current supported NHD software versions
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Reporting software issues (bugs) for USGS to track
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Accessing links to the NHD Update User Help and Hydrography Training information (both located on outside websites)
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The Training Website provides:
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A duplicate of the NHDHMP Production database for job acquisition with the same format as the Production HMP.
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Practice with the NHD and WBD update tools up to and including submitting a job to USGS without making changes to the production database
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Data to all hydrographic data editors and not just approved stewardship editors
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Hydrography Tools
Markup Application and Tool
A markup is a suggested edit to the National Map. Edits can be made by anyone with an email. To suggest an edit, users go to the Markup Application. This tool will walk the user through creating and submitting a markup. Afterwards, the markup will be sent to the Markup Tool where USGS employees or contractors can verify the markups.
My role with this tool is to validate markups by state. The Product Owner, Marcelle Caturia, assigns me states through Jira. I then validate each markup with aerial imagery, 3DEPElevation data, Google maps, and any other resource as needed. This job is of extreme importance because I am validating changes to the National Map which then can be used for the following...
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Manage water such as stream flow and stormwater
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Monitor, manage, and report water quality
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Assess water availability and water rights
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Model and map flood risk
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Conserve terrestrial and aquatic habitats
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Manage fisheries, rangeland, timberlands, and agricultural lands
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Assess coastal hazards
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Plan for future land development activities and infrastructure development
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Manage riverine and coastal navigation and safety
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Provide recreational opportunities for citizens
If a markup does not meet expectations, the markup is set to "Won't Fix" with an explanation to the user. Markups that pass go into "In Progress" status where a editor will incorporate the markup into the Ntiaonal Map. When I am finished with validation, I run the HU8 tool. This tool counts markups by HU and geometry type. I lastly post the results of the HU8 tool on a Jira board for editors to see and manage.
Further, I test the Markup tool as it was assigned to me. A typical test would consist of a spread sheets with an "action" and whether or not that action created the expected result. If not, the action was failed and noted. I thoroughly run through each function of the tool to see if it works as expected. Lastly, I helped review the user guides for both the application and the tool and created graphics as needed to replace all images.
Creating a markup in the Markup Application
A graphic I made for the Markup Application User Guide
In this image I was using the Markup Tool (right side) to validate Markup in Texas. If you look to the left, you can see my table of contents with all the resources I use to validate markups.
Hydrography Event Management (HEM)
The HEM tool allows for creation, management, and refresh of hydrography data. This tool helps transfer data into NHD data. NHD data has a multitude of attribute that can be useful for analysis. By converting your data into NHD data using the HEM tool, you are upgrading your data to be more detailed and accurate. Further, data can come in all forms and the HEM tool acts to standardize this data so it all can be used at once.
My role with this tool started with training. I have received roughly 10 hours of training. I attended two 3 hour training with USGS partners, I had a one-on-one with the product owner, Mike Tinker, and I ran through the HEM test plan. Afterwards, I began writing the known issues within the HEM tool. This process consisted of me confirming the bug existed and trying to find a solution or work around. I then documented the bug with professional writings and graphics. Using RoboHelp, I placed my final writings into the HEM User Guide.
Further, I worked on a international project regarding HEM and gauges. Since HUs do not discriminate based on country boarders, many of our northern HU overlap into Canada. My job was to index water gages in Canada. Our base data came from Canadian Historical Hydrometric Data (Hydat) and we used it to snap gauges to flowlines using the HEM Import function. Eventually, this process was moved to the new Hydro Add tool which I tested as I indexed gauges (more to come on this tool!).
Image provided from USGS
Image provided
by USGS
This image is showing all the HUs that got completed in the international project (Map Created by Mike Tinker).
The section of the HEM user guide I wrote. Please see HEM User Guide Link to see the live site.
NHD Utilities
The NHD Utilities is a set of seven tools that do not need ArcGIS to run. They were built to manipulate NHD data and for the analysis of data. The tools are the following as noted in a USGS website:
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Network Builder: rebuilds the geometric network, creates and sets the “Enabled” field, and sets the flow direction within the context of the “FlowDir” attribute.
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Build Flow: builds a network based off NHDFlowline. Nodes are created to populate the NHDFlow table with in and out flow directions.
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M-Value Utility: Assigns measures to streams based on reachcode and NHDFlowline. Measures are a percentage of how upstream a location is on a flowline.
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Geodatabase to Shapefile (GDB2Shp): converts a NHD ESRI file geodatabase into a set of shapefiles and DBF tables which can then be used by other software.
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Shapefile to Geodatabase (Shp2GDB): converts ESRI Shapefile and DBF tables that are stored in an NHD format to an ESRI file geodatabase.
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Subset by Polygon (not stand alone): allows users to create subsets of the NHD data based on one or more polygons from a CustomArea feature class within a NHD geodatabase
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NHD Merge: Joins two or more NHD geodatabases into one geodatabase.
My roles in the NHD Utlilties is to test them. The test plans consist of steps, expected results, and results. If the steps I followed did not produced the expected result, I would fail that step/tool. This test plan is espesscailly unique because I had to verify the output of each feature class with ESRI tools such as the Compare Tool and Select by Location.
An example of NHD Flowline
NHD Flow Table
M Value Utility
NHD Update Tool
The is the main tool I work with. This tool can help manage jobs from the Hydro Maintenance Portal (HMP), edit hydrography data and check the quality of data. Such edits that may take place using the NHD Tool are improving networks, digitizing streams, importing data, and run quality controls and corrector error. Internal editors use this tool to apply markups to the NHD and external editors use it to maintain their data.
The primary work I do with the NHD Tool is testing. The NHD has two test plans assisted with it: A-Z testing and the QC testing. The A-Z testing is just like the other test plans I have done. There is an action and an expected result. I have to confirm that the action creates the expected result otherwise that step fails. I test each tool under each heading. The QC test requires me to run a variety of quality control (QC) tests. I compare the results that were produced in the QC Reviewer Table. I compare my Reviewer Table to a predetermined table produced by the PO. If our tables match, the QC will pass. If the tables do not match, the QC will fail.
I also am in the process of editing the NHD User Guide which consists of nearly 500 pages of technical writing. While editing this user guide, I am looking for grammar and spelling mistakes. I also look for how readable and understandable the wording is along with whether or not sentences make sense. After my edits are complete, the PO will review them and add them into the NHD guide as needed.
NHD Flow Table Made with Build Flow
The NHD Tool
Table of Contents in an NHD Job
WBD Tool
The WBD tool is based on the WBD data I mentioned above. The tool is built to maintain hydrography units (HUs). The WBD has functions such as creating and editing metadata, editing HUs, and checking out and turning in jobs. Jobs can also be submitted to the PO for review and the PO can use the WBD tool to retrieve submitted problem jobs.
My role for this tool is to test it. Like all of my tests, I am given a spread sheet with actions and expected results. My job is to note whether or not an action produces the expected result. If the expect result is not produced, then I fail the action. This particular test plan is interesting because I need multiple HUs and jobs to complete it. I have to have an interior HU, meaning it does not touch the coast or boarders. I also need a exterior job that is touching a coastline. With these HUs I can make sure to test the tools ability to work with a variety of HUs.
Other Projects I Worked On
Image provided by USGS
Elevation-derived Hydrography Error Examples
The National Gestational Program (NGP) documents specifications and standards for data prepared by the USGS. One type of data the USGS provides is elevations derived hydrography (Ele-Hydro data) . My role with this data was to create graphics for known errors and solutions that occure in Ele-Hydro data. The graphics I produced will be published on their website (linked below).
Confluence
The internet is a powerful collaboration tool used for communication by the U.S. Geological Survey regarding National Hydrography Datasets. Communicating information about the USGS Hydrography Dataset (NHD), the Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD), and accompanying information is key for stewardship programs. myUSGS supported on Confluence acts as this communication platform. My role with myUSGS was to rewrite an outdated user guide. When published, the user guide will provide users the ability to navigate myUSGS and will inform them about what is contained in the Hydrographic Data Community (HDC). See below for the completed user guide.
Commination Videos and Other
